Whether for hunting or archery, many people practice using a bow and arrow. Statistics gathered from the United States Fish and Wildlife Survey in 2016 found that 101.6 million Americans took part in some type of fishing, hunting, or wildlife activity. Considering that, an important aspect of using a bow and arrow is practicing archery strength training. With that in mind, here are four great exercises every hunter should try.
- Weighted Lunges
This exercise is geared more towards those who use a bow for hunting purposes. You’re likely to be spending most of your time hunting carrying a large backpack. This backpack is likely to be filled with many items. You’ll find it incredibly tough to carry around such a heavy backpack without being somewhat strong. That being said, you can improve your leg strength by practicing weighted lunges. While lunges are beneficial, you’ll reach a point where this exercise stops increasing your strength. The difference with weighted lunges is that you’re performing this exercise while carrying a pair of dumbbells. - Dumbbell Rows
Another great way to increase your archery ability through exercising is by performing dumbbell rows. In order to do this exercise, you’ll need a dumbbell and some type of bench platform. Next, grab a dumbbell in your hand and ensure that your torso is bent while your upper body is parallel to the bench. You’ll perform a rowing motion with the dumbbell which is incredibly beneficial to build shoulder and back strength. This exercise can drastically help reduce archery shoulder pain which commonly occurs as the result of a strength imbalance. - Military Press
Another important archery strength training tip is to begin performing military presses. These exercises are performed by using a weighted barbell. A barbell differs from a dumbbell is that this item is held with both hands. To perform this exercise, you’ll hold a dumbbell in your hands while extending your arms upwards and bring them back down parallel to your chest. The military press is an amazing exercise for strengthening your shoulders. - Forearm Dumbbell Curls
Statistics gathered from the Archery Trade Association found that an estimated 4 million women practice some form of archery each year. Whether you’re a man or woman, many people occasionally deal with archery shoulder pain. You’ll find that strengthening surrounding muscles can help stop you placing so much strain on your shoulders. Considering that, it’s important to ensure that you’re training your forearms. Having strong forearms helps improve your grip strength. Unfortunately, many hunters neglect to properly train their forearms. You can do this easily by performing forearm dumbbell curls. In order to perform this exercise, you’ll want to grab a dumbbell and place it in your hand. Next, place the hand holding the dumbbell on the bench with your palm facing upwards. You’ll want to bring your hand upward and slowly bring it back down, performing a curl.
To summarize, there are beneficial exercises that can help improve your archery ability. One study from 2016 found that nearly 7.9 million people aged six years and older regularly participated in archery. If you want to become a great archer, it’s important that you train properly. Of course, only those who are both of age able to safely do so should perform these exercises. In addition, make sure that you start with light amounts of weights. Neglecting to do this could mean injuring yourself. Performing the previously mentioned exercises can help increase your strength. You might also consider ordering archery training equipment. Certain cases of archery shoulder pain are caused by shooting improperly. You’ll find that there is a wide range of archery training devices available that can help improve your strength and ability.